I love fairy tales (surprise, I know). I don’t always love new interpretations, but sometimes they’re done so well, you just have to applaud. The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror is a superb collection of reworked fairy tales. Overall, it’s a short read, which is nice. These stories preserve the narrative structure we associate … More SJ Reads: The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror
So not a writing book, but still something that I think will speak to all types of creative people, and people in general. I’ve recently been working my way through this book, and I have to admit, I’m impressed. We hold ourselves back a lot, whether by attitude toward ourselves or behavior toward others. … More SJ Reads: Coming Alive
I’ve also been trying to read more about writing, so today’s SJ Reads goes with that line of thought. I try to be aware of anything that will help me out, and I’ve noticed a lot of my writerly friends mentioning this title. I was skeptical at first, and then I paged through it at … More SJ Reads: Save the Cat
Time once again for another alternative holiday title to get you in the spirit! This week, we look at Batman: Noel. I stop and start with the Bat family comics, but they’re consistently the only DC I really keep up with (though not so much once New 52 hit). In general, I prefer titles … More SJ Reads: Batman: Noel
This is another of those so obvious I probably shouldn’t include it, but it’s well-known for a reason. Confession: I haven’t made it all the way through this one. I’ve had to take it in spurts, and that seems to be the case for most people I know who own it. It’s definitely one … More SJ Reads: The Artist’s Way
This was actually one of the first writing books that was recommended to me, and one that was given to me, as well. I’ve read it a few times, though it’s been a while. Probably time to read it again. This probably works for me because it’s lined up inadvertantly with some of my own … More SJ Reads: Writing Down the Bones
Time to round out the month with another nostalgic Halloween read! This week’s pick will be one of my favorites from when I was a kidlet, and likely one that only people who date back to bronze age (like me) will remember. I give you: Hester. Hester is an alligator who’s getting ready … More SJ Reads: Hester
For whatever reason, I haven’t really been getting into too much that falls into the realm of horror this year, until very recently. A friend and I got talking about manga and I mentioned that I admittedly fall more into the shojo-type reader (for better or worse), and because he knew I really like horror … More SJ Reads Bonus: Tomie by Junji Ito
Apologies for last week – apparently it’s that time of year that my sinuses decide to rule over every other part of my life. So, that was fun. On to the books! This week’s nostalgic Halloween title is one that I’m pretty sure my mother randomly grabbed at the library when I was a kid. … More SJ Reads: Hob Goblin and the Skeleton
Alright, time to cutesie this thing back up. You can’t have Halloween without candy, and if we’re being honest, then that’s just buckets and buckets of candy. So much candy. As a kid, I’d dream of getting enough Hallowen candy to swim in it like Scrooge McDuck in his money. I had some good hauls … More SJ Reads: Harriet’s Halloween Candy
Come Selahway With Me... 